King Gyanendra and Queen Komal Thursday flew to Nepalgunj where they will spend the night and
fly on to Dhangadi to attend a civic reception in their honour Friday accorded by the people of far
west Nepal.

The region is a hotbed of Maoist insurgency. The King is scheduled to tour districts of the far western development region. The reception is the second for Their Majesties since the King ascended the Throne of June 1, 2001.

The people of the eastern region held the first civic reception for the royal couple in Biratnagar on Jan.3

Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have protested the reception which they claim is a precursor of
an active monarchy.